How to Sell Your Home: Everything You Need to Know

Are you planning to sell your home this year?

Putting your home for sale can be a daunting and stressful experience. No matter how many times you've done it before, home selling is an emotionally-draining, time-consuming, extra-challenging journey. It’s no wonder many sellers make costly mistakes.

If this is your first time to put your home on the market, or if you're considering to sell your Kirtland OH home and would like to be more familiar with the intricacies of home selling, this post will help you learn everything you need to know so you can sell your home smoothly and successfully.

Here’s a handy list of the different steps involved in home selling.

Step 1: Work with the right real estate agent

Step 2: Determine your selling price

Step 3: Get your home ready for sale

Step 4: Market your home

Step 5: Show your home

Step 6: Receive offers and negotiate

Step 7: Go under contract

Step 8: Close the deal

Step 1: Work with the right real estate agent.

Putting your home up for sale entails a lot of decisions.

One such decision is whether you should sell on your own (also called FSBO or For-Sale-By-Owner) or sell with a real estate agent.

While you can certainly save on the agent’s commission, listing your home with the right real estate agent will sell your home faster and for its best price - enough to cover the commission with a little more to spare.

According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the average FSBO price was $185,000, while homes represented by agents averaged $245,000. That’s a $60,000 difference!

How to find the right REALTOR®?

With the number of real estate agents in Kirtland OH, how do you know which one to choose?

Here are three easy steps to help you know which agent to hire.

1. Do your research. Ask friends, family members, neighbors, anyone who you think may know an agent. Put the word out there that you are looking for a great REALTOR® and you'll be amazed by the result.

A good agent leaves an amazing impression. Most people remember them, or at least a portion of their name.

Another form of research you can do is to look for agents with a strong online presence.

Create a shortlist with three names and set a meeting with each of them.

2. Sit down for an interview. Give the agents time to get to know you, and vice versa. You want to find someone who is not just good, but the best.

Bring a list of questions to ask. A few sample questions might be: 

-How long you have been working as an agent/REALTOR®?

- Do you full-time or part-time?

-How long have you been working as an agent in Kirtland OH?

-How do you plan to market my home?

3. Decide. When you've done your homework, choose the one you think is the best.

Home selling can be stressful, so pick someone who you're comfortable with, one who listens to what you want.

Your home is your biggest financial investment, so choose someone who is not just good, choose someone who is excellent, like me, Christine Pappas. Visit http://ChristinePappas.com/Testimonials/ to know more about me and how I work.

What can I do for you?

1. I will price your home right.

Your home’s price is crucial if you want to sell it successfully. If you make the mistake of overpricing your home, your property will stay on the market and stay there for months on end, until it goes stale.

As your agent, I will conduct a comparative market analysis (CMA) and take into account the different factors to come up with your home’s valuation. My intimate knowledge of the real estate market, access to different data and various tools at my disposal will all come in handy in determining your home’s market price.

2. I can help save you time and make things more convenient for you.

Home selling takes much time and effort. If you’re working, do you still have the time and energy to market your home?

As your agent, I will take care of things for you. You don’t have to take time out from work to meet with possible buyers for home showings.  You don’t even have to worry about finding the plumber, electrician, cleaners, and all who might be needed to work on your home because I can do that for you. I can make sure that the home-selling process does not interfere with your daily life.

3. I will take care of all the legalities and paperwork.

There are a lot of paperwork involved in home selling. I will go through each of them with you, ensuring that you understand everything you are signing, answering your questions and clarifying your concerns. I will make sure that your sale is done correctly and efficiently.

4. I will ensure that your home is staged and well-presented.

I will make sure that your home is at its best when it is photographed for marketing. I'll ensure that your home is beautifully staged before any home-showings. You can be sure that your home will be presented at its best when you have my assistance.

Step 2: Determine your selling price

If you're thinking of putting your property on the market, you've also likely considered how much it is worth and how much you’ll sell it for.

Do you know your home's value?

There are many ways to find out your home’s worth.

You can use any of the online home value evaluators as a starting point and to get an idea of how much homes cost in your area.

The best way to find out your home's value for your listing price is with my help. I will prepare a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis), a list containing data on recently sold properties similar to yours. A comparison of the properties, along with the necessary adjustments, will yield an estimate of value for your property.

I don't just rely on data of sold homes, I’ll also prepare a comparison of homes currently for sale in your area (also called comps or comparables). I’ll check out your close competitors. Doing this will provide me with a much better and more accurate estimate for your home.

Step 3: Get your home ready for sale

When you’ve decided on your listing price, the next step is to get the home ready for listing. It’s time to roll up your sleeves because this is where you’ll be doing some hard work.

Prepare your home for selling by doing the following:

Declutter.

After living in your house for many years, you have undoubtedly collected a lot of items you don’t use anymore. Declutter your home by throwing away these things.

Dispose of any broken tools and busted kitchen appliances. Donate bags, books, shoes, clothes, and other belongings you rarely use. Throw away broken toys, torn magazines, old bills, and dusty, moth-eaten books.

Start packing.

You want the house to look spacious, but that won’t happen unless you take some stuff out. Decluttering gets rid of many items, but you’ll still be left with things you want to keep.

The solution? Start packing.

Pack things you don’t need every day. Basically, you want to lessen the number of clothes and linens in your drawers and cabinets, so pack away your seasonal clothing.

Keep your CD and DVD collection in a box, together with all those books and art materials your kids may need in the future.

Don’t forget to include your mementos, photos, and wall decor!

Clean, clean, clean.

I know, you’ve heard of this a million times over, but I cannot stress it enough.

When I say clean, I don’t just mean a good sweep or vacuum over the floor. The house must be thoroughly clean. It must be spotless, it must sparkle.

Clean your cupboards, over the cupboards, cabinets, drawers, the bathrooms, the kitchen, the bedrooms, the walls, the baseboards, the windows, vents, everything!

It takes time to clean a home, and it’s a continual process. I know I said you don’t have to spend anything for the preparatory steps, but if you don’t have enough time to clean, have a professional cleaning crew do it. They’ll do it so efficiently your house will literally sparkle.

Many times I’ve heard buyers say “This home is so clean and well-maintained!” Buyers think that if you keep your home clean, you also maintain the home well, which means the house is in great condition.

Depersonalize.

The day you made the decision to sell is the day you start removing your identity from the house. This is what it means to depersonalize.

You want to make your house neutral because a lot of buyers will be coming in and checking it.

Start by removing anything religious, political, superstitious and personal in your home.

Think of the model homes and expensive hotels you go to. You love its inviting feel, the cozy atmosphere, but you don’t see any huge photos of the owner in the suite.

It’s the same thing when you sell a house. The potential buyers are not interested in seeing photos of your kids hanging on the wall. They would have an easier time connecting to your property when your personal belongings are not on display.

Do minor repairs.

When you want to sell your home for its best value, you need to get it in top shape. After living there for many years, no matter how great you've had it maintained, there'll always be things to fix.

What are some of the repairs you should consider?

Here are some typical areas where damage occurs which you should fix before selling.

1. Flooring fixes.

This tops the list because it is the most prone to wear and tear due to its daily usage. If you have carpet floors, it may be stained and worn down after many years. Consider getting your carpets deep cleaned or better yet, replaced with new carpet or hardwood floor.

If you have hardwood floors, you'll notice that the area with the most traffic will appear most scratched or worn. Have your floor refinished so that it looks good as new.

If you have tile floors, check out for chipped or cracked tiles and have them replaced.

2. Walls, doors and ceiling paint.

Another minor fix you should consider is the paint on your walls, door and ceiling. After many years of use, the paint would have faded and there'll be signs of the normal wear and tear. Giving your walls a fresh coat of paint will not only revive its color but also hide any other imperfections in it like marks and scratches. The same applies to all the doors and ceilings.

3. Kitchen repairs and maintenance.

The kitchen is one of the first places buyers visit when they come in for showings, so make sure that your kitchen is clean and comfortable.

Fix cabinets and drawers that are falling off, and if necessary replace or refinish cabinet doors. The countertop laminate should be impeccable, so make sure that whatever your countertop is, it's clean and gout-free.

Leaking faucets and old sinks should be replaced to give your kitchen that well-maintained look.

4. Bathroom repairs.

One of the best things you can do for your home's bathroom is to replace its old, rusty faucet. Replacing chipped or damaged floor tiles is another repair to look out for.

5. Electrical system and plumbing repairs.

This is best left to professionals. If your home has plumbing or electrical issues, its best to get it fixed so it won't cause further damage.

6. Home exterior repairs.

Walk outside and take note of any obvious signs of disrepair.  Cracks on the driveway cement should be taken cared of. Check out for any roof issues, you could be missing a shingle. Your siding could be looking faced.

Taking care of all these simple repairs will help your home look well-kept and maintained.

And don’t forget to boost your curb appeal!

You’ve probably heard this before, but in real estate, the first impression is the only impression. It only takes seven seconds to make an impression so you have to make it count!

For your home to have that wow! factor, you need to work on your curb appeal. An outstanding curb appeal will get many sellers through your door.

Step 4: Market your home

The first step to marketing your home is getting excellent photographs and videos.

According to the NAR Real Estate in a Digital Age 2017 Report, 99% of Millenials search online websites, while  89% of Older Boomers and 77% of the Silent Generation do.

89% of home buyers find photos to be very useful. That alone should tell you why you need excellent photographs of your home.

As your agent, it’s my job to market your home.

I will list your home in the MLS so that the other agents can also have access to your home.

I will market it through fliers, advertisements, videos, social media and various real estate online platforms to ensure that the Internet is flooded with your listing.

Step 5: Show your home.

When your home has been marketed, it’s time for showings!

If you’re wondering if you should be home during the showings, I highly encourage you to drive around town while the showings are going on.

Potential buyers want to feel comfortable when they ask questions, and with you hovering around, they may not be able to do that.

My task is to help you prepare your home for showings, and to be there as your representative for the showing.

Your role is to prepare your home for showings and open houses, ensuring that your home is clean, well-presented, odor-free and in its best form.

Step 6: Receive offers and negotiate

Your wish came true! You’ve received multiple offers!

What’s next?

You need to carefully consider all, going through the prices and terms of each offer.

Here are three things to remember when evaluating offers:

1. Identify the terms that are important to you. Do you want to sell your house before a specific date? Do you want to stay within a certain price range? Do you want buyer credibility? Know your priority.

2. Review all the terms of each offer. Carefully consider the terms of each offer. Find out the strong points and drawbacks. Know what concessions the buyer is asking from you.

3. Find the best one you like and make a counteroffer to make some changes. You’ll surely have terms of your own, so after reviewing each offer with me, find the best one and we’ll make a counteroffer to add some terms of your own. The key to the best negotiation is to remain flexible!

Step 7: Go under contract

You’ve accepted an offer. Is the home selling process over?

You’re almost there, but not quite. There are still a few more things to be done. At this point, I will be working closely with the buyer’s agent to work out the details of the sale, making sure that both parties are meeting the legal and financial requirements.

This is the step where the earnest money comes in, the property title is taken care of, the property transfer of deed is prepared and the home inspector comes in.

Step 8: Close the deal.

Closing is the meeting of both parties - the buyers and sellers together with their official representatives like agents and attorneys. This is where the final disclosures are given, the signing of documents takes place and the payment or closing costs are transacted.

When you’ve received the cashier’s check and have given up the key, you’ll need to leave the property, taking everything with you and doing a final sweep before you go.

And that’s the end of your Kirtland OH home-selling journey.

Congratulations!

Selling your Kirtland home is not difficult if you know what to do and who to ask help from.

Call me, Christine Pappas, (216)-956-7635. I am your real estate professional in the North Eastern Ohio area. My goal is to help you sell your home successfully. I will be with you from the start to the end, connecting the dots, analyzing the data, and guiding you through the home selling process.

In case you cannot view this video here, please click the link below to view How to Sell Your Home : Everything You Need To Know on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ1g39-GApM&feature=youtu.be

What's My Willoughby OH Home Worth?

Find out your home's value.

Are you wondering what your Willoughby home is worth? Perhaps you are moving out for career advancement, or you're planning to put your home on the market because you're downgrading, or you're considering refinancing.

Knowing your home’s value will help you make informed decisions, whether it is regarding home pricing or refinancing.

How to know your home’s worth

There is no secret formula for coming up with your home’s worth. It’ll be based on different data and factors. Therefore, it is crucial that the valuation is done right because it will be the basis of your pricing.

It may be tempting to resort to online home value estimators, but you should know they are inaccurate. Online home value estimators use location and comparable data, but other factors come into play which affects your home’s worth. Factors like home improvements and remodeling are not included in online home value estimators.

The best source of an accurate home valuation is your local REALTOR®. REALTORS® or real estate agents prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) which contains data of properties in your area that were sold recently.

Factors that influence your home’s value

Your home’s worth is dependent on the following factors.

• Market Condition. The listing price of your home in Willoughby depends on the state of the market at the time you plan to sell or  have your home valuated. If the demand for houses is great but there’s limited supply, then you can increase your home’s price. If the demand is low and there are plenty of houses for sale, the price of your house will go down.
• Location. The type of neighborhood you live in matters when it comes to home value. Buyers are willing to pay top dollar when the home is in a convenient location - close to schools, roads, hospitals, commercial areas, and entertainment places.

It’s not just the present condition that affects the price or perceived value of the home. The possible developments that could be done to the  area in the future also also taken into consideration.

• The View. There are plenty of stunning outdoor views in Willoughby, and if your home happens to have a great view, buyers are more willing to pay a higher value.
• Home Features. What does your home offer? How many floors are there? How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it have?

Larger homes tend to have more significant values. So do homes with more bedrooms and bathrooms. House styles also count. Is your home style popular among buyers? These are some home features to be considered in valuating your home.

• Age and Condition. When your home was built, along with its current state and condition, weigh heavily on the home’s value. Older homes tend to have substantial and maintenance issues, which will inevitably drop the perceived value of the home.
• Upgrades and improvements. We know that upgrades like attic insulation can increase a home’s value. Adding another room, upgrading the kitchen and bathroom,  installing energy-saving appliances, the materials used for the upgrades, all these may increase the value of your home for sale in Willoughby. But in the end, it will be the buyer who’ll decide which improvements are of worth to him or her.

Would you like to know what updates can increase the value of your home? Visit my website http://ChristinePappas.com/Category/Blog/ for more tips and suggestions.

Call me, Christine Pappas, at 216-956-7635. I will provide you with a free, no cost, no obligation, home value report.

In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view What's My Willoughby OH Home Worth? on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/DeeK_iKrWq0

How to Sell Your Home When Living with Pets

To my surprise, not everyone loves dogs and cats, and over the years of selling houses in the Northeast Ohio area, I’ve learned that our beloved pets can be a complete turn off to people looking to buy a house. So, when our pet lovin’ clients are ready to sell their house, we have them take some extra steps to make sure the house is appealing to a home buyer.

• Scoop the poop from the yard.

• Clean out the litter box. 

• When possible, take the animals with you during showing times. 

• And, take their dishes too (sometimes just the site of animal items will invoke ‘the house smells of ‘ and send a buyer running) 

• Have the house professionally cleaned and deodorized (we once had to have our client repaint their family room because their dog would lay and rub against the walls and leave an oily film on the wall causing a dog odor). 

• Have a friend who would tell you the truth and that has a great nose, come over for a sniff test. 

• Vacuum daily to pick up the pet hair. 

• Have the carpets cleaned 

• Whatever you do, Don’t use one of those plugins, or the like to try to cover up pet smells, it really turns a buyer off. We’ve had some buyers refuse to look around a house because the smell is sickening. 

• For stubborn pet odors, we have purchased an ionizer for our clients to use. 

• Don’t leave your pets in a specific room where people can’t get in to see it. More times than I can count, homeowners have left their pets in the laundry room, garage, bedroom, basement, with a note stating not to open the door, which means a Mayfield Heights OH home buyer cannot see in the room, leaving the room to their imagination (and that is just not good, turns out, most buyers will think the worst and turn away from the house). 

• If you cannot take your pets with you during showing times, crate your pets so your potential home buyer can see in every room.

• Odors of any kind have a negative impact on people, and pet odors are at the top of the list of why a home buyer won’t buy a Mayfield Heights house.
  Getting your house sold often involves eliminating the roadblocks that will keep a person from buying. Keep in mind your house has only one time to be a new listing, and one chance of making a great 1st impression, so take your time in getting the house ready for sale. Doing so will pay off for you in the long run, both monetarily and in the time it takes to sell the house.
  With me as your Mayfield Heights OH real estate agent, you can have expert guidance you can count on. Find out how I can help you, call me, Christine Pappas, at 216-956-7635 today!
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• In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view How to Sell Your Home When Living with Pets on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/_lYAGtZn3EA

Must Know! Kitchen Upgrades Which Don't Pay Off

Planning to improve your kitchen?

An impressive kitchen is among the must-have features for many buyers. The kitchen is the heart of the home and is one of the favorite gathering places for family and friends.

If you are looking to sell your Mayfield Heights home soon or sometime in the future, you’ve probably considered kitchen renovations. Not only will it boost your home’s resale value, it also makes your home highly appealing to buyers so it will sell fast.

Or so you thought.

Not all kitchen improvements are equal and can increase your home’s ROI. In fact, some upgrades can hurt your home’s value.

Kitchen upgrades to avoid

Here are five kitchen improvements you should never include on your upgrade list.

1. Major kitchen renovation. Unless your kitchen is severely outdated and all the appliances are broken, there is no reason to turn it all upside down and replace everything. You don’t need a major renovation. Some simple upgrades will do.

A major improvement will set you back at $62,158. It’s ROI? 65.3% according to remodeling.hw.net. On the other hand, a minor kitchen facelift will cost you $20,830. It’s return is 80.2%.

A kitchen facelift has a higher return that a complete makeover.

2. All high-end appliances. You’ve probably seen Flip or Flop episodes where old appliances are thrown out and replaced with expensive, high-end ones. Don’t think you need to do the same for your kitchen.

If yours are still working fine and are just a few years old, keep it. Appliances have life expectancies. The dishwasher last for nine years, the refrigerator for 13 years, the microwave oven for nine years, etc.

If you are to replace appliances, choose energy efficient ones. Buyers love them because they can lower energy cost in the long run.

3. Inconvenient islands. A kitchen island is great because it offers much potential for efficiency, function, and storage. It adds countertop space. It is also a beautiful place to entertain friends. And it boosts a home’s value.

But if the island crowds the the workspace and hinders rather than improves the flow of movement, you don’t need to install one. Opt for a breakfast bar instead.

4. Marble countertops. Marble is fashionable and beautiful, but you don’t necessarily need one for your kitchen’s counter.

For one, it is high maintenance. Spills of wine and other colored liquids can quickly seep through the rock. It is also prone to scratches.

If you hate seeing stains and scratches on your counter, marble is not a good choice. It is also expensive. A high-end marble countertop may raise your home’s value several thousands above the average listing price in your neighborhood, which will definitely affect the home’s selling price and stay on the market.

5. Fun and quirky kitchen style. While your quirky kitchen reflects your fun personality, it may not necessarily be suited to the taste and style of the buyer. If you are to give your kitchen a facelift, choose to go for a classic and timeless appeal. Think of kitchen showrooms you see on television.

When you are improving your kitchen for resale, remember that your improvement cost should only be within a specific range. If the price of your Mayfield Heights home for sale increases, you’ll lose potential buyers.

Keep in mind that the kitchen should be done to suit the buyer’s taste and not your preference.

Are you selling your home? Call or text me, Christine Pappas, at 216-956-7635. Allow my skills and experiences to work for your real estate needs.

In case you can not view this video here, please click the link below to view Must Know! Kitchen Upgrades Which Don't Pay Off on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/j0EWrkaaWE4